| Show imlniummimmilmonig They live with what many see as a death sentence fN BY c aPII BERNARD GAVZER NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO THE PUBLIC IMAGE of the AIDS patient was that of a wasted suffering human being at the edge of death Day by day the figures of the infected and the dead grew Yet at the same time there were reports that there were survivsurvivors ors—long-term PARADE set out to find them and discover what they had done or were doing to remain alive three or more years after diagnosis It might lead the way toward health for others Those we found were very much like Cristofer Shihar who described himself this way: "I am not just alive There are people who are bedridden who are alive I am active and I work In many ways I think I'm no different from the person with diabetes arthritis or a heart condition" Shihar's story along with those of 15 other longterm survivors was told in the report published in PARADE on Sept 18 1988 The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta then estimated that there were 2000 such persons—I5 percent of the AIDS cases in America at that time At this writing according to the CDC there have been 128319 adults and adolescents diagnosed with AIDS since 1981 Of that number 78340 have died Of the survivors no one knows on a national basis how many are living well or in hospitals or outpatients or calling on the doctor every other day Two years have passed since PARADE's original interviews What has happened in that time? Thirteen of the people survive Three of them are experiencing some health problems Their stories follow In tracking them PARADE also was able to track changes in how the AIDS epidemic is perceived and treated What has changed? One critical change is in the estimated number of Americans who already have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) In 1988 the figure suggested was 15 million But now the CDC says that as a result of more accurate studies the number is most likely one million Projections of new AIDS cases also have been scaled down In 1988 it was estimated that by 1992 there would be about 86000 new cases But new forecasts range as low as 58000 0 '' ' - - ti- ' 41 ' 1:i 0 i tot '1 7': ' 1 '7'71--i f-- ' '4:'--- ' ' ! ' - :40 '":--4"- - F ' i ''-- - t :(! r i -'- AP A 4 ": ' :'" r -$ i1r:m lii ii :1 1:7z: 1:':--At- 1 i : N 1 - ' ' t4t) c 01k r: 4 Ilk ' ' Mike Leonard A 44 e Dip e4 - -- fr - :4- - T - : 4 Why the change? "We are investigating the impact of early intervention" explains Dr James Curran director of the CDC's AIDS program "We've seen in studies of gay men the effectiveness of prevention activities because there has been a great decline in new infections among them since the early 1980s There is quite a bit of indication that people who live longer are receiving optimal medical care and that they are able to work feel a lot better and have many more months and even years to live" Another development is the spread of AIDS from the big city to the farmland "AIDS is increasing in ef-4- ' P -- :1 Mt I - '' ' 1114116011OSZECIANWORMICIEMENIMEMPRITIa611111111010111MOMMIUMMAINENiaitillid Ar - t' '': 17 incidence and prevalence in small communities and rural areas of this country" says Romel W Mackelprang an assistant professor of social work at Eastern Washington University "Not only are people returning to their rural families after diagnosis but people are and with AIDS while being diagnosed as residing in rural communities" The largest group with AIDS is still made up of white homosexual and bisexual males They'll keep adding to the cumulative total of cases as their current n infections develop into AIDS a process that may take eight to 11 years This group had accounted HIV-positi- full-blow- ' m ! :''‘'41'''iS w ti iiApo t "fill! gw4"1"ellw"lulg I ir 'I 4' o 1 11i vt et It N Vito Russo 43 e t 0 is ' ri ) j 4511 ' ‘ — b i : crg""" t ' 1Ilt 1 :' ''''''''64'444011°'0: I c't: f- 7 I ! ' " !se:7 -' - I ç I s :i 4 1 wswLomul:i iot George R lash 56 s'L4' N t Cristofer Shikar 39 5 COVER PHOTOGRAPH he is actively making plans for the Ifuture ''' : ' ' :' g ' -'' - : ' f'tt :r 7 el f'1 :::'::71r:1 i ' ' :T : ::'j'i 4 - 6C‘ ' 1614441-4i : : Now " - 4:- touch with the me" he says - - 'd 1 thealer within n ? ? stress self healing "I got In ' '11 THE WILL TO SURVIVE Here are some of those whose stories are told above—long-tersurvivors of a disease that wasn't supposed to have any Of the 16 people reported on in PARADE two years ago—people who had survived AIDS for at least three are still alive In addition years-- 13 to drug treatments most have tried alternatives All maintain a positive outlook and are determined to live life to the fullest s i - ii "1 ' - 3L s ''''1r--- -: 1 Math Fatopoulos 33 an aspiring actor has had AIDS since 1985 In addition to antiviral drugs and a homeopathic regime he has tgone to workshops that P et' 424414's- :11!-':''- poDom ? 77 Ss'AurNor LI 1'5 '' r- L 0 BY JAMES McGOON PAGE wourrimeritmetsatommiescoppowomprommuyargre - 4 JUNE 10 1990 " MIENOMMIIIMMEt PARADE IYIAGAZINE I 1 in |
